The Conquered Sun Rises

Exalted

Wait I thought this was Exalted why am I mopping the floor?

Creation, such as it was, was in peril. The cracks created by the Technocracy folding creation like origami had finally opened wide enough that the Elder gods had taken notice and sent their death knights through to herald their return. The tapestry was coming to an end and only the Unconquered Sun could save Creation.

Unfortunately, the Unconquered Sun had lost interest in creation when the Technocracy had broken the Celestial game with their meddling. Without the game the Unconquered Sun had slowly broken down and now rarely left his throne. He just sat there in his comfy slippers and terrycloth robe drooling, his mind completely checked out. With inactivity and a lack of worshippers he had aged, his golden hair turning to a dull greasy white and his strong once well muscled body had become more akin to a bowl full of jelly. The Solar Exalted had long since forgotten him and without his spark to renew them had dwindled in number to a few hundred. Their power had faded with his and they were now little more than mundane humans.

To resolve this Sidereal Exalted were sent to the four corners of the earth with invitations and incentives to get the Solar exalted to centralized locations to use a bait for the Death Knights. The information about these gatherings was slipped to the enemy and with luck the cries of his children would draw the Unconquered Sun out of his stupor. That was the plan anyway.

Carlos Masters Owner of Master of Grass lawn care service finished putting the last of the equipment he would need for the day into his trailer when a purple van with a stylized picture of Saturn being circled by a rocket pulled up across the street. The driver a very pretty blonde hopped out and sauntered her way across the street holding a clipboard and an envelope. Carlos watched her closely through his heavily tinted sunglasses appreciating the view as she approached. They had a conversation in which Carlos received the envelope consisting of a couple hundred dollars and an invitation to a book signing about 15 minutes up the road. He signed off on the clipboard and watched the driver cross back over to her truck admiring the view just as much going as coming.

With only a second of thought Carlos decided he had too much work to do to attend some stupid book signing. Before another thought could cross his mind one after another all of his clients for the day called and cancelled their appointments. With nothing to do and two hundred dollars in his pocket he decided to spend the day at the Indian casino a couple hours away. He unhitched his trailer made sure it was secure and started off on his merry way.

After 15 minutes his trucks engine started going in and out eventually cutting out directly across the street from a small strip mall. Frustrated he pulled out his cell phone and called roadside assistance, he was immediately put on hold.

Meanwhile across town Ilsa Richter, a German house care specialist, had just finished her current job. All of her supplies were neatly packed into her carrying case and she was in the process of locking the front door when a hulky young man dressed in a purple delivery uniform with a stylized picture of Saturn being circled by a rocket on the pocket politely coughed to catch her attention. Turning she smiled and received an envelope, containing a letter politely asking her to attend a book signing and offering her one thousand dollars if she did. She immediately decided to attend thanked the delivery person and headed towards the nearest bus stop.

Tina Patton, was taking her break just sitting outside on a bench enjoying the sunshine when a delivery person caught up with her. After a confusing conversation about who the envelope was supposed to go to she eventually took receipt of the envelope. She muddled her way through the letter and bounced up an down cheerfully at the two thousand dollars included in the envelope. Then frowned slightly as she realized she wouldn’t be able to make it on time. The frown instantly turned into giggles as she found a pair of car keys in the envelope with a nice picture of a horse on the logo, she loved horses. Clicking the unlock button she found that the car was actually right in front of her. Squealing she realized it was pink, matching the color of her thoughts, and had these amazing unicorn seat covers with T.P. initials on them. She never questioned that the license plate said TinasToy. Popping her head back into the saloon she told her boss she needed to take the afternoon off and not waiting for a reply got in the car and drove to the bookstore.

Dean Wyatt worked his detective agency out of his basement and that’s where his delivery girl caught up with him. The envelope held the invitation and twenty thousand dollars. Being a nice guy he decided to attend. With nothing holding him back he headed straight over.

Stephanie Bressler had run away recently and things still held excitement for her. The downside of running away had not yet set in. When the pretty lady walked up to her and handed her the letter she didn’t really know what to make if it. Inside was the invite, a couple thousand dollars and a fifty thousand dollar scholarship to the college of her choice. Having finished the letter she was in and also proceeded to the nearest bus stop.

Meanwhile having just been told that the earliest his truck could be looked at was tomorrow morning Carlos got back in deciding to give starting the truck one more try. Amazingly, it turned over so he decided not to press his luck he’d head home and get a taxi or something from there. Waiting for a clearing in the traffic he swung the wheel and did a sharp U-turn. Getting to the other side of the road his car suddenly swerved out of control as first one then all four tires went flat. sending his truck up on the curb. What now he wondered. He didn’t see any obvious problem in the road but all four tires were totally torn to shreds.

While the rest of the group found there way to the bookstore Carlos continued to struggle against the desires of fate. First getting soaked by the only puddle on the road then his truck was hit by a bus dropping off Ilsa and Stephanie, before he could engage the bus driver the bus drove off. To add insult to injury a pink Ferrari with a bubbly blonde ditz driving hit the same puddle soaking him even worse and destroying his cell phone right when he had gotten through to a taxi company. Then he realized he was standing right across the parking lot from the bookstore he had the invitation to.

Finally he decided to go to the bookstore right after he bought some new clothes at the Old Navy next door. An incredibly attractive brunette met him at the door with a towel and a complete change of clothes. She talked about how she saw him get soaked and immediately started looking around the store for things that would help. Ultimately, he was able to change into dry clothes, was pampered by the sales attendant and even got her number despite the obvious difference between their ages. In a much better mood he walked over to the bookstore and entered.

After a few minutes of browsing the bookstore everyone was asked to proceed to the back where college style stadium seating was setup for the book signing. Of course the players gathered together in a little clump in the last two rows, towards the middle. The star of many movies who would also play in this one worked his way to the podium. After a brief talk he introduced the writer of the book and the screenplay of the first movie and the upcoming movie associated with the book. Waving his hand towards the back of the area he beckoned a very old man to the podium. The old man wandered to the podium relying heavily upon a cane at which point he exchanged some words with the famous actor who then sprinted out a back door.

The old man apologized for the rambling speech he was about to give and then launched into what was without a doubt the most boring book preview ever. After the first paragraph most heads were bobbing as the crowd hovered towards sleep, by the third only Ilsa was fully aware of what the old man was saying every one else hand descended into either slumber or a close approximation there of. Even Ilsa didn’t notice that while the liveliness of the crowd waned the old man slowly become more vital and physically fit. By the end of the fourth page the man was standing tall with his jet black hair slicked back and without the use of his cane.

Now fully regenerated he slammed his fist down on the podium demanding that his audience explain their lack of attention. To which Ilsa replied “I was paying attention.” The man ignoring the one person in the audience who had paid attention promised them they would pay attention to him now. He reached up and pulled his face off as though it had been a mask, leaving a bleached white skull and blackened steel helmet behind. The blood spattered the first row and people started screaming and backing away. After his face he continued to tear at his body revealing him to actually be a 7 foot tall monstrosity in armor stylized to look like bones.

The players began looking around for ways to escape finding the whole place now had a solid wall of shadow enclosing them in the stadium area.